The all-natural, organic movement has been gaining ground over the past decade and a half, and essential oils have tagged along for the ride. Essential oils can be used for a variety of applications, from nutritious food additive to alternative medicine. One of the most popular and effective essential oils is argan oil, which has made its way into almost every essential oil-based product and has plenty of benefits for your body.
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What Is Argan Oil?
Argan oil is an essential oil that is extracted from the fruit of the argan tree (Argania Spinosa). It’s an ingredient in many skincare and haircare products, and can also be bought as a standalone oil for you to use or mix with other products.
Where Does Argan Oil Come From?
The source of argan oil is the argan tree which is native to Morocco. This is why it’s also known as argan oil of Morocco.
What Is Argan Oil Made From?
Argan oil is produced by hand in an arduous process. The fruit is left to dry in the sun, then ground between two stones. Then, the resulting kernels are ground and pressed into a paste, which is then run through a filter to produce raw oil. The oil is left to settle for several weeks to allow the solids to accumulate at the bottom, then is filtered again before being bottled.
Argan oil takes a very long time and plenty of argan fruit to make. One litre of argan oil requires 25-40 kilograms of argan fruit, and three days to make.
What Is Argan Oil Used For?
Argan oil is a superfood with a variety of health benefits. It’s also used as an ingredient in many cosmetics and hair care products and is sometimes used as a skincare product to treat acne.
Argan Oil Benefits
It’s not hard to see why some people hail argan oil as a miracle supplement, here are just a few of the benefits:
Moisturising Effects
Argan oil, like many skin-friendly oils, has the ability to lock moisture into the skin. This keeps your skin plump and hydrated all day and keeps you from drying out! Argan oil is also non-comedogenic, meaning that it doesn’t clog pores, so it’s safe to apply on your face.
Antioxidant Properties
A lot of cellular damage is caused by free radicals that spread throughout the body. This damage can lead to various aging diseases, including certain kinds of cancer. Antioxidants counter the effects of these free radicals, allowing you to stay healthier for longer.
Anti-inflammatory Properties
Many skin conditions are caused by chronic inflammation. With its anti-inflammatory effects, argan oil can help treat conditions like psoriasis, and in doing so can even promote hair growth.
Antibacterial Abilities
Like many essential oils, argan oil has antibacterial properties. This can help clear your skin of infections.
How To Use Argan Oil To Care For Your Body
Argan oil can be applied to your face and body skin, and your hair for different benefits.
Haircare
Argan oil works great as a hair conditioner. To apply argan oil to your hair, use a couple of drops – no more than five – and rub it evenly onto your hands. Then, run your hands through your hair, using your fingers as a comb. This will help replenish your natural hair oil, sebum, which helps give your hair that effortlessly textured, beachy look. You can also rub the argan oil into your scalp to moisturise it. There are hair sprays and argan oil shampoos that you can purchase as well which will have a similar effect.
Skincare
Argan oil also makes a great addition to your skincare routine. Applying argan oil to your face twice a day can treat a variety of skin conditions such as eczema and dermatitis. It can also improve acne breakouts, help moisturise your face, and even help mitigate the effects of aging on your skin.
Body
Argan oil can help moisturise your skin all over your body, making it perfect for people with dry skin. It can also help with wound healing and may even protect against sunburn and skin cancer thanks to its antioxidant properties. To use argan oil on your body you can either apply it directly on your skin, you can use argan oil-based body butter, or you could add a few drops of argan oil to your own organic products.
Argan Oil Side Effects
Some people experience adverse reactions to argan oil that’s applied directly to the skin. These effects can include rashes and acne outbreaks. The effects are especially strong for people with allergies to nuts. Remember to perform a patch test on argan oil before you use it all over your body.
Where To Buy Argan Oil
Argan oil’s benefits are no secret, but with so many concoctions on the market, it can be hard to find a high-quality product. Here are some of the best brands to help narrow down your search:
Josie Maran
Josie Maran had a short career as an actress, but she moved on to entrepreneurship in 2007, creating Josie Maran Cosmetics which focuses on providing skincare and cosmetics made with fair trade argan oil. Given that so many of the competitor essential oils are produced by environmentally damaging processes, Josie Maran products are definitely a breath of fresh air for any argan oil enthusiast.
You can find the Josie Maran Argan Oil here.
Agadir
The Agadir brand was started by a pair of salon owners who wanted to innovate in the haircare product space. Agadir aims to bring professional salon-quality products to your home.
See more about the Agadir Argan Oil here.
Argan Life Australia
Argan Life Australia is jointly owned by an Australian and a Moroccan-Australian owner. It promises to deliver products that only use pure, unadulterated virgin argan oil extracted using traditional methods without industrial chemicals.
Get yourself some Argan Life Australia product here.
Hask
Hask products are all designed to target specific haircare needs. Whether it be to help protect hair colour, reduce dandruff, stop split ends, or improve overall hair-health; all Hask products use organic ingredients to provide natural and wholistic haircare.
Get yourself some Hask argan oil here.
BaByliss
BaByliss has over half a century of experience in the haircare industry, providing stylists and salons with high-quality equipment and haircare products. They have a wide-range of argan oil products, every one of which is derived from trustworthy sources.
You can find out more about BaByliss here.
An Essential Oil For All Seasons
Argan oil’s versatility makes it a truly essential part of your natural healthcare arsenal. Make sure you keep a vial or two so you can fill your skincare or haircare needs in a pinch.
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